In portable devices that are undergoing rapid reduction in size, it is required to reduce the height of a connector and contacts (or signal terminals), which is called profile reduction. However, the profile reduction is accompanied by reduction in the coupling force of a socket and a header. For that reason, the portable devices vulnerable to shocks caused by dropping or the like need to have a configuration that makes it hard to separate a socket and a header. A connector provided with lock mechanisms for keeping the socket and the header in a coupled state is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-234150.
In addition to the connector disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-234150, there is known a connector 40 as shown in FIG. 11, which includes a socket 41 having socket-side lock clasps (lock mechanisms) and a header 42 having header-side lock clasps (lock mechanisms) 48. The socket-side lock clasps 46 are arranged in an opposing relationship at the sides of a socket body 43 where socket contacts 45 do not exist. This holds true in case of the header-side lock clasps 48.
Since the header-side lock clasps 48 have no elasticity, the header 42 needs to be inserted into the socket 41 with an increased force when the former is coupled with the latter. Furthermore, since the socket-side lock clasps 46 and the header-side lock clasps 48 are respectively arranged in an opposing relationship at the sides of the socket 41 and the header 42 where socket contacts 45 and header contacts 27 do not exist, the socket 41 and the header 42 need to be pressed against each other in a well-balanced manner, while keeping them parallel in the coupling process thereof. In addition, it is sometimes the case that the planarity of contacts is destroyed in the manufacturing process of the connector 40 provided with a lock mechanism.
A process for manufacturing the header 42 shown in FIG. 11 will now be described in detail. Referring to FIG. 12, the manufacturing process of the header 42 is divided into stations A through D arranged sequentially. In station A, header contact workpieces 50 have an elongated shape and are provided with a plurality of header contacts 47 as a part thereof.
In station B, unnecessary header contacts 47 are cut away, leaving only the header contacts 27 that will form the header 42. In station C, the header contacts 47 left in station B are insert-molded with a header body 44. In station D, header-side lock clasps 48 are press-fitted to the header body 44, thereby manufacturing a header 42.
In station. D, it is often the case that a force is inadvertently applied to the header contacts 47 when the header-side lock clasps 48 are press-fitted to the header body 44. Inasmuch as the header contacts 47 are made of an easily bendable material, the planarity of the header contacts 47 may be destroyed by the force inadvertently applied thereto.
Moreover, there is a problem in that the manufacturing process involves an increased number of steps due to the complex structure of the header 42 (the connector provided with a lock mechanism). In addition, the number of parts gets greater because of the need to employ the header-side lock clasps 48 (namely, the parts forming the lock mechanism).